On Saturday, October 22nd, thrill seekers looking to get down and dirty can do so at the biggest, best, and muckiest ‘D’hillbillies Mud Run’ to date in aid of the Mercy Hospital Foundation.
Tipperary Hurling and Football stars Colin English and Conor Sweeney joined Miss Cork, Orla Clancy to launch the third annual mud run which will see over 1,000 thrill seekers descend on Gortnahown Farm in Mitchelstown this October to tackle 6km or 12kms of muddy fun, that will see them run, crawl, scramble and slide over and under obstacles throughout the wet and wild course overlooking the Galtee Mountains.
D’hillbillies Mud Run is open to anyone over 16 with a reasonable level of fitness. Entry is €35 per individual; while the cost for teams of 6-19 people is €33 per person; and for teams with over 20 members, the cost is just €30 per person. Anyone who registers online at www.mercyfundraising.ie will receive a specially commissioned D’hillbillies tec sport shirt. Participants can also register from 9am on the day, but must arrive early to secure a place.
Proceeds raised through this popular event, which is organised by Mitchelstown Lions Club and to date has raised €35,000, will go towards The Mercy Cancer Appeal, which aims to fund key services and advancements in the treatment of, and research into many cancers; and in particular The Mercy Cancer CARE Centre, which will provide a quiet, safe place for patients and families dealing with a cancer diagnosis to come to receive support through their cancer journey.
President, Mitchelstown Lions Club, Maurice Madden spoke about the local support that makes D’hillbillies Mud Run possible: “Last year over 1,000 thrill seekers braved D’hillbillies Mud Run in Mitchelstown, raising a phenomenal €15,400 for cancer services at The Mercy University Hospital Cork. This would not have been possible without the invaluable local support we received, and continue to receive. For the third year running, Lions Club member, Billy O’Donovan will kindly host the mud run on his land at Gortnahown Farm; without him, this event simply would not be possible. The local Curraghalla Community Group, and the local shops and businesses in Mitchelstown all deserve a special mention; as do our main sponsors RedFM and Dairygold Co-Op Society.”
Maurice continued “Participants can be sure of an unforgettable experience on October 22nd – with plenty of obstacles, hills and slopes to climb up and slide down along the way; not to mention the stunning views of the Galtees. We are encouraging both new and old participants to come for what promises to be a wet and wild day of fun; and even if you can’t participate, come along as a supporter and help cheer on participants as they help raise funds for a very worthy cause.”
Micheál Sheridan, CEO, The Mercy Hospital Foundation added “Our mission is to inspire people to support advancements in research, diagnosis, treatments and care of patients at The Mercy University Hospital, the People’s Hospital. We promise to do our very best to provide you with a world class hospital, right on your doorstep, and this is only possible through the help of our supporters and donors, like Mitchelstown Lions Club who have put so much work and time into organising D’hillbillies Mud Run, and of course those brave enough to participate in it.
